News

Sixteen county teachers charged over sex with pupils

SIXTEEN members of school staff in Oxfordshire were charged by police for having sexual relationships with students, new data shows.

The figures, released through a Freedom of Information request, show that between 2008 and 2013, 31 members of staff were suspended, disciplined or dismissed over allegations. Of those 31, 16 were charged after a sexual relationship was discovered.

Oxfordshire County Council, which released the figures, said it was unable to say which schools the concerned staff worked at, as it could lead to the victims being identified.

In September 2012, assistant headteacher Adam Williams was jailed for two years after he was found guilty of eight charges – seven counts of sexual activity with a child by an adult in a position of trust and one of being a person in a position of trust inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.